Building entrance protector, i.e. junction box, provides an interface for cables from the central office of the service provider for distribution throughout the building served by the junction box. Numerous cables and wires enter and exit a junction box. To accommodate an uncertain number of cables and wires entering or exiting a junction box at a particular location, a junction box is typically molded with multiple openings or notches on all four sidewalls of the box. Each notch is slotted to allow either a flat trough or a flat solid plate to be slid into the notch, depending on the specific requirement at the location of the junction box. Troughs having one or two compartments may be used, for separating and retaining one or two types of cables or wires, respectively, within an opening. Each compartment of a trough is a frame-like body having a gap on the top portion for sliding cables or wires into and out of the compartment for quick access, which also promotes accidental slippage of cables or wires from the compartment. Where openings on the box are more than necessary, solid plates are utilized to prevent undesirable elements, such as insects and dust, from entering the box. Both the troughs and solid plates are slid in between slots of the openings and held in place by frictional forces, without any positive retention.
Wires and cables entering or exiting a junction box change direction by as much as ninety to one hundred and eighty degrees. Fiber optic cables passing through a prior art trough at an angle rest against the sharp and narrow edge of the trough. Hence, the prior art flat trough is not suitable for fiber optic cables, which must maintain a minimum bend radius to prevent damage to and breakage of the cables. Furthermore, the prior art troughs and solid plates may be easily displaced from the openings on the sidewalls of the junction box.
Therefore, there is a need for an invention that safely secures and routes fiber optic cables entering or exiting a junction box without causing damage to the cables, provides quick access to such cables and positively secures such an invention with the junction box.